Aston Villa have had quite the start to the Premier League season and currently sit fifth in the table.
The turnaround since Unai Emery took over from Steven Gerrard has been quite remarkable. The Villans are now playing free-flowing attacking football and look a real threat to the top four.
Of course, Emery has been backed with new players but a lot the squad is what Gerrard had.
But speaking to the It’s All Kicking Off podcast, journalist Ian Ladyman has explained that those inside Villa Park feel Emery has key differences to Gerrard.
Journalist shares differences between Unai Emery and Steven Gerrard
Chatting about Villa’s rise on the podcast, Ladyman revealed he had spoken to someone at the club this weekend who opened up on Emery’s obsession with football.
“I was speaking to someone yesterday who knows about the goings on at Aston Villa and I was asking about the differences between Emery and Gerrard, because I was quite interested to know,” Ladyman said.
“I’m told his attention to details is the greatest they’ve ever seen in a manager, he is so obsessive, players get individual one on one coaching, more than any manager I have ever seen. He is at the training ground until 9pm ever night. When the players are off the staff aren’t. The staff are in.”
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Villa have two very winnable games against Nottingham Forest and Fulham next before facing a big test against Tottenham.
Emery a master manager
It didn’t quite work at Arsenal for Unai Emery but everywhere else he has been has worked out well.
He’s now delivering at Aston Villa and it’s clear as day that the players are well coached, well drilled, and more importantly, completely onboard with his methods.
For Villa, the big test now is to see if they can maintain their charge and keep up with the top four.
If they can keep it up until Christmas at least, then Champions League football could well be played at Villa Park next season.